The Strange Final Hours of Chicago’s Terry Kath

The Strange Final Hours of Chicago’s Terry Kath

Terry Cath, one of the founding members of the hit band Chicago, died accidentally on January 23rd, 1978. But when authorities tried to move his body, they encountered a disturbing problem. Terry Cath may not be one of the most instantly recognizable names in the world of rock and roll, but not for lack of skill or impact. His own band members have stated that had he been in a smaller group where his guitar talents could be more easily noticed, history would have held him up as one of the greats. Born on January 31st, 1946 in Chicago, Illinois, his family was happy to foster his musical creativity as he grew up, helping him learn a variety of instruments. His mother often played the banjo, while his brother was a drummer, and Terry tried his best to follow in their footsteps. Little did he know, music would be an even bigger role in his life than he realized. By the time he reached grade nine, Terry knew exactly what instrument he wanted to pursue. And soon he had received his own guitar and amplifier. Inspired by the music of those like Johnny Smith and Howard Roberts, he largely taught himself to play rather than rely on anyone else. But this was only the beginning. It wasn’t that Terry didn’t have access to professional guitar training, and he even tried studying under various teachers. However, he soon realized that this kind of formal education wasn’t for him, especially since he had no interest in anything beyond mastering the basic chords of rock and roll. But though he found his true passion, there were some very important people in Terry’s life who weren’t too thrilled about the path he had chosen. Stemming from his musical upbringing, Terry quickly gained an intense passion for rock and jazz and decided that he would stop at nothing in the pursuit of a music career. His parents weren’t exactly thrilled about his life plan, especially his father, who wanted a more stable job for his son. Nonetheless, Terry set out on the path to stardom, and the choices he made paid off in a big way.

Rather than try making a name for himself on his own, Terry took the smarter option of collaborating with other up-and-coming musicians. At only 17, he joined a semi-professional band called The Mystics and would transition to several more groups over the next few years. Even then, his artistic vision stood out. Following a brief stint with the band Jimmy Rice and the Gentlemen, Terry moved on to join another group called Jimmy Ford and the Executives. He wasn’t just a background musician, though, as his fellow band members soon looked to him for their creative direction, essentially making him the band leader. Of course, there were some members who he gravitated to more. It was during his time with Jimmy Ford and the executives that Terry cultivated some of his most impactful relationships which lasted him through his life. While he joined as a bassist, two other members, Danny Seraphine and Walter Parazaider, played the drums and saxophone, respectively. The three quickly became close friends. Unfortunately, there was trouble on the horizon. Less than a year later, the band decided to merge with another group called Little Arty and the Pharaohs, which meant bad news for Terry and his two new friends. Believing this new group would be better off without the three of them, the band let them all go with the most brutal explanation possible. It is just business. It may have seemed like the musician’s worst nightmare, but as we will see, it was actually a blessing in disguise. For many other musicians, this kind of rejection could have been the end of their career. But Terry pushed himself to get back on the horse. His previous group wasn’t the only one looking for some of his talent, and he joined the cover band The Missing Links in 1966. But he wasn’t alone.

He also convinced Danny and Walter to come with him. Down the road, Danny reflected on his friendship with Terry, revealing some jaw-dropping observations. Terry’s friends later described him as having a charisma that intrigued them from the beginning. But though there was something undoubtedly magnetic about him, there was more to him than met the eye. They also admitted to feeling as though there was something darker within Terry, buried beneath his easygoing personality. But it was only later that this darkness would rear its head. Upon moving to Los Angeles, the band took the name the Chicago Transit Authority, but were forced to shorten it to just Chicago in 1969 after a dispute with the real organization. Now, they were officially off to the races. As with any guitarist, Terry put a lot of thought and care into the instruments he played over the years. Even if his first main guitar wasn’t the most expensive, starting out with an 80 dollar register guitar, he eventually transitioned into a Fender Stratocaster as he and his bandmates got bigger. He also made some significant business decisions. Within the next few years, Terry and several other affiliates and members of Chicago would become major investors in the budding amplifier company, Pignose. He also became heavily involved in the company’s management. And to show his pride, one of his guitars eventually displayed a collection of 25 Pignose stickers. At the same time, he also tried to make some equipment for himself. And certain experiments were downright bizarre. Through his involvement with Pignose, Terry wasn’t a stranger to using the company’s prototypes, but he wasn’t going to let them be the only inventors. In his spare time, he worked on several mechanisms to improve his playing, such as an electrical cocktail mixer, which he tried to turn into an autopicker for his guitar. He was a natural innovator, and this allowed his music to soar in breathtaking ways. As a result of his first inspirations in life, Terry infused Chicago’s early music with as much rock and jazz as he could, and they were better off for it. His bandmates once again looked at him as the leader since his skills as both a guitarist and vocalist were unlike any others at the time. Under his leadership, they thrived. Although they had changed their name, the band was able to release their first album in 1969 under their original name, Chicago Transit Authority. Many have since pointed to the track, Introduction, as the perfect example of Terry’s early style, and have even called it his masterpiece. But that wasn’t the most impressive part. Early on, many praised Terry for his talent as a soloist, which he displayed in another of the album’s tracks, Free Form Guitar. Refusing to use any pedals, Terry simply plugged in his guitar directly into the amp and improvised most of the 7-minute track. The result was so symphonic that it wasn’t uncommon for classical radio stations to play the song.

Through the band’s success, they brushed shoulders with some big names. With the release of their first album, Chicago wasn’t doing too badly, but they still needed to get their name out to more people. So, as 1969 went on, they signed on as openers for both Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, who was allegedly already familiar with the band sound along with the man responsible for it. This earned Terry quite a compliment. According to the stories, Chicago’s time as Jimi Hendrix’s opener wasn’t the first time they’d crossed paths with the legendary guitarist. Supposedly, while at a nightclub, Whisky a Go Go, the band had previously run into Hendrix, who told them, your guitarist is better than me. Allegedly, Hendrix’s adoration didn’t end there. Danny Seraphine’s own recollections take the Hendrix story to yet another level. According to him, both Hendrix and the drummer Mitch Mitchell uplifted the band by saying, you are the best band I’ve ever heard in my life. These unforgettable compliments were, in Seraphine’s words, good for our souls. It is no wonder that the winds kept rolling in. A year after their first album, the band released their next project under their new name, although it is now known as Chicago II. This includes their next big hit, 25 or 6 to 4, which had a guitar solo by Terry that became a fan favorite at shows. Understandably, every subsequent album would include at least one song and one lead vocal by him for the rest of his life. Even when compared to others, Terry’s skill spoke for itself. Terry wasn’t Chicago’s only vocalist, but even early on, the band often chose him to lead. In Chicago II, a medley called Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon includes the song Make Me Smile, in which Terry sings the lead vocals. Initially, several members were possible options for the lead.

But when the songwriter James Pankow heard Terry sing it, the choice was clear, and soon they branched into uncharted territory. Chicago’s fame grew bigger and bigger until it eventually brought them all the way to Europe in 1970. Right away, they got a firsthand glimpse of how popular they had become in London, especially during their performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Here, every band member received their own introduction, each accompanied by a standing ovation. Of course, the public back home didn’t forget about them. Once Chicago returned from Europe, still riding that high, they arrived shocked to see another surge of fame in America. This was mostly due to a version of their song, Make Me Smile, which had been edited for radio. This change initially prompted outrage from the band until they realized that through this version, their song had reached the top 10. Admittedly, some of this fame went to Terry’s head. The band hadn’t seen their last stay in the UK. But upon their next trip, they found out that their fame had diminished. While their American fan base grew, most across the pond had moved on to other musicians like Eric Clapton. This shift resulted in a chilling outburst by Terry. While attending a London press conference, he shouted a string of curse words at the journalist. However, it wasn’t just Terry’s professional life that served him up a dish of disappointment. The life of a rock star can be admittedly tough on romantic relationships, a truth that Terry would come to realize even more during this decade. Previously, Terry met a woman named Pamela Robinson, and the two initially hit it off before they married in 1970. However, their feelings turned sour over the next 5 years, leading to a divorce. He wouldn’t be alone for long, however. The marriage between Terry and Pamela was bleak to say the least, so he was all too eager to move on after they split up. Fortunately for him, he fell in love once again with actress Pamela Ortiz, and the two married in 1976. Furthermore, they welcomed their first and only child, Michelle, the same year. Tragically though, time was already running out. By the end of the 70s, Chicago wasn’t exactly in the best place, and they knew that a change was necessary. While the band was still enjoying a fair amount of success, the dynamics behind the scene were becoming increasingly miserable. The strife between Terry and some of his bandmates was ever present, such as his issues with Peter Cetera, whose level of self-confidence had long since bothered Terry. Of course, he had his own problems to worry about. Terry had taken to the life of a rock star like a fish to water, which unfortunately meant he adopted many of the negative aspects typical to that lifestyle. Worse still, he seemed to have a high tolerance for illicit substances, and even his fellow bandmates pointed out his excessive use of them. This only exacerbated his other issues.

Despite the band’s successes and the many praises he received for it, Terry had only become unhappier as the years passed. These feelings then became worse due to his dependence on substances of which he wasn’t ignorant as he eventually told his bandmates that he was sure his addiction would be the end of him if he didn’t do something. However, his story was already coming to an end. Despite some interpersonal issues with others, Terry seemed to enjoy spending time with his friends. For instance, on the fateful night of January 22nd, 1978, he visited a percussionist who had joined Chicago early in the decade. The two of them had tea. Unbeknownst to the two bandmates, this was the very last night before Terry’s passing. Over the last several years, Terry had grown as a person and expanded his horizons to include more passions than those in the realm of music. Still, this may not have been a good thing, as he soon developed an interest for guns and firing at targets. This meant that he frequently had a weapon on him. This was just one part of a recipe for disaster. Terry still wasn’t slowing down. And after a party in Los Angeles on the night of January 23rd, 1978, he found himself at the home of one of Chicago’s roadies, Don Johnson. It was just the two of them, and beyond the festivities of that night, Terry had already been partaking in some hard substances for several days. Naturally, his decision-making wasn’t the best. As Terry and Johnson hung out following the party, the situation suddenly became more dangerous. As Terry retrieved his gun, taking out a 9mm, he sat down and started to clean it, which instantly put Johnson on edge. Realizing Terry’s altered state, he adamantly warned the guitarist to be careful. Terry was far calmer, though. He wasn’t in the best mindset to be making judgments. So, in response to Johnson’s concerns and warnings, he was quick to dismiss any risk of bodily harm. Terry told his host that there was nothing to worry about, stating, look, the clip is not even in it.

Of course, he wasn’t considering all the possible dangers. For better or for worse, Terry wasn’t one to let others influence his decisions, which turned out to be a fatal error on this night. To illustrate that there was nothing to get worked up about, Terry showed Johnson the empty clip in his hand before placing it back in the 9mm and uttered his unforgettable final words. What do you think I am going to do? Blow my brains out? Terry tried to calm Johnson down and after putting the clip back in, he waved the 9mm around to make his point. He was right that the clip was empty, but didn’t notice one round still in the chamber. In a tragic accident, the weapon went off beside his head, bringing an untimely end to Terry Cath. The fallout was unspeakably heartbreaking. Shocked and hysterical, Don Johnson witnessed the entire situation that led to Terry’s passing. Chicago founding member Danny Seraphine received the news while he was driving and raced over to his house, finding Johnson in the corner, crying uncontrollably. Understandably, neither man was in any kind of state to help out. Seraphine stayed there with Johnson until local authorities arrived at the ghastly scene. With the coroner in tow to determine Terry’s final moments, as they looked around and investigated the body, the coroner found it difficult to move it by himself, asking Seraphine to help him. However, the drummer was far too distraught. This wasn’t the only issue they had. As the horrific night wore on, authorities determined everything they needed to and prepared to head out, taking Terry’s body with them. However, another problem got in the way. He was far too big. Terry wasn’t only too heavy for the coroner to lift alone, but also too tall to fit in the body bag. So, his snakeskin boots stuck out at the end while they transported his remains. Naturally, the public surged with speculations. Immediately, as news spread about Terry’s passing, both the press and the general public began to speculate as to the nature of the incident and whether it had been intentional. While it was true that Terry had been in a rough place in his life, his bandmates asserted it had been no more than an accident in line with Don Johnson’s account. Suddenly, they began to reexamine their priorities. Terry had been such an important part of Chicago, both in skill and leadership. So, his passing truly put the future of the band in jeopardy.

Not to mention that beyond the question of how Chicago could succeed without him, its members were still grieving. However, at the urging of musical director Doc Severinsen, they chose not to break up. While Terry was so integral, the rest of the band felt that many never saw him that way. Terry was the source of much of Chicago’s success. But since the band viewed itself as more of a flat team structure, his name fell into slight obscurity. Luckily, those closest to him still held him in high regard. Still mourning the loss of their friend and band member, Chicago decided to continue making music and published their first album without Terry, Hot Streets, in October 1978 as a way to mark the band’s return and pay homage to their late guitarist. The album included the track Alive Again, and they later released another song called Feel the Spirit in his memory. This new album wasn’t without a guitarist, however. While no one could ever truly replace Terry’s influence in the band, Chicago still needed to find someone to fill their vacant guitarist position. This wasn’t an easy decision either as over 30 people auditioned to become their newest member. At the end of it though, they settled on former sideman of Crosby, Stills and Nash, Donnie Dacus. Concerning Terry’s actual family, they also wanted the world to remember him. Fast forwarding a couple of decades to 2012. There was a renewed effort to bring Terry’s life and contributions to light. This time by his own family. His daughter Michelle wanted to produce a documentary titled Searching for Terry: Discovering a Guitar Legend, and she announced that the project had reached enough financing that year. Through this, audiences saw the impact he left on the industry. The documentary was in production over the next few years, during which Michelle interviewed not only the Chicago band members, but also many other famous guitarists, renamed as the Terry Cath Experience, it debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, where audiences saw musicians like Mike Campbell and Joe Walsh endlessly applauding Terry’s skill. During this time, Michelle was also able to solve an old mystery. Throughout Terry’s career, an unfortunate thing became commonplace. Many of his guitars went missing. For a long time, his bandmates and family thought others had stolen them all. However, when researching for the documentary, Michelle surprisingly discovered a number of them in her step-grandmother’s home, including his lost Pignose Telecaster. Even if the public had overlooked Terry during his time with Chicago, he remained a pinnacle of the music world, and the documentary certainly introduced his story to more people. As such, in recognition of his and the band’s impact, Chicago received an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 8th, 2016. When the time came for the members to receive their awards, Michelle went up and accepted Terry’s on his behalf. If you enjoyed this video, give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more incredible stories. Want to say and who we cover next? Join our membership program through the link in the description for exclusive perks. Your support means everything to us. Thank you for watching and we will see you in the next